Travellers face large queues whereas coming into Europe from subsequent autumn with the introduction of strict post-Brexit border controls.
British passport holders must undergo fingerprint checks and face scans as a part of the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES). It will exchange the stamping of passports, which started after Brexit when the UK grew to become a ‘third nation’ to the EU.
The new system will test each passenger’s title and biometric knowledge after they cross into an EU nation. It was attributable to be rolled out earlier this yr however has been delayed a number of occasions.
Some nations have expressed issues about how a lot time the method will add to queues at EU borders, with the Slovenian authorities saying it takes ‘as much as 4 occasions longer’.
Despite these worries EES will probably be launched on October 6, 2024, in keeping with the Independent.
Queues on the Port of Dover, one of many areas the place the brand new border checks will probably be in place
Each time travellers attempt to cross into the continent, they must present a facial picture and supply 4 fingerprints.
Personal knowledge together with first title, surname, date of delivery, nationality, intercourse, journey doc and the three-letter nation code will all be required, with solely kids underneath 12 exempt.
Austria has mentioned processing occasions can be ‘double in comparison with the present scenario’, whereas Croatia warned checks would ‘actually be considerably longer’.
French officers will perform EES border checks on the Port of Dover, Folkestone for Eurotunnel and at St Pancras International for Eurostar.
In a report launched earlier this yr, French public finance watchdog Cour des Comptes predicted queues on the UK-France border will not less than double when the EES is launched in 2024.
The Port of Dover, which has usually seen lengthy delays ensuing from post-Border checks, mentioned the brand new system might lengthen checks on vehicles from 45 seconds to so long as 10 minutes.
Port chief Doug Bannister was reported by The Sun as saying: ‘Even on the busiest occasions proper now, with new post-Brexit guidelines, passport checks are taking 45 to 90 seconds per automobile.
‘With the pre-registration concerned, a automobile with a household of 4 or 5 in it might take as much as 10 minutes.
‘The Government needs to be urgently discussing with their French and EU counterparts how that is going to work.’
Eurotunnel warned it might take as a lot as six minutes longer to course of every automobile boarding its trains.
British travellers queueing for a number of hours at passport management in a Spanish airport
EES will cowl arrivals to all European Union nations besides Cyprus and Ireland. It can be being adopted by Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
One of the explanations for delaying its introduction was the Paris summer time Olympics, with chiefs warning it might trigger chaos for hundreds of thousands of passengers travelling to France.
Around six months after EES is launched, the EU will usher in Etias – a visa waiver system just like the US Esta.
This will value €7 per particular person and be required for folks coming into the Schengen Area.
The EU has rejected issues ESS will trigger chaos at borders and claimed it can really save time.
A spokesman mentioned: ‘The principal benefit of the EES is saving time.
‘The EES replaces passport stamping and automates border management procedures, making travelling to European nations utilizing the EES extra environment friendly for the traveller.’
It comes as holidaymakers face an anxious wait to see if the eruption of a volcano in Iceland will interrupt their flights to the nation.
The eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula simply north of the evacuated city of Grindavik started final evening at round 10.17 pm after an earthquake swarm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office mentioned, referring to a collection of small shakes.
There are fears that the eruption, which has seen 200 cubic metres of lava spewing out from the fissures each second, might trigger havoc to air site visitors after the Icelandic eruption in 2010 grounded hundreds of flights throughout Europe and North America and noticed holidaymakers stranded.
Flights from Reykjavik’s worldwide Keflavik airport have been delayed final evening, with an EasyJet flight to Manchester standing on the tarmac for 5 hours earlier than taking off at 1.35am because of the volcanic exercise.
Holidaymakers face an anxious wait to see if the eruption of a volcano in Iceland with interrupt their flights to the nation
Passengers have been advised by easyJet: ‘We’re sorry that your flight has been delayed. This is as a result of volcanic exercise in Keflavik (KEF) is inflicting restrictions to the areas wherein plane are permitted to fly.’
British holidaymakers are ready anxiously to see if their flights will probably be cancelled right now – however the Icelandic authorities and airways together with EasyJet have mentioned the airports in Iceland are ‘not impacted’ and flights needs to be working ‘as scheduled’.
Indeed, Hallgrímur Indriðason, a journalist from Icelandic state broadcaster RUV, mentioned there was ‘no risk to air site visitors – not less than not for now’ with Reykjavik’s worldwide Keflavik airport remaining open right now.
Previous eruptions close to the Fagradalsfjall volcano on the Reykjanes peninsula passed off in 2021, 2022 and earlier this yr.
In 2010, the eruption of Iceland’s long-dormant Eyjafjallajokull volcano – an ice-capped volcano greater than 1,660 metres tall – shot large quantities of ash into the ambiance. That large, explosive eruption was not deadly, however pressured the cancellation of round 100,000 flights and left greater than 10 million travellers stranded.